Lots of chicks, do other hens slow down laying?

We have two sets of meat birds in tractors, and three pens of Mama birds with their chicks. It seemed like production among our seven non-moms dropped each time a clutch was hatched. Now that the chickies are free ranging, we're down to two to five eggs a day. Does having all these chicks around suppress egg-laying in the hens who aren't mothers, too?

The non-moms and rooster love nothing better than to steal chick starter from the pens. Could this be resulting in less laying?

NO I have hen with chicks in coop and hen with chicks in another coop. They free range so everyone sees everyone. Out of the main coop all hens are laying but them mom hen with chicks.

My guess if you are free ranging then they are hiding eggs. They probably want to raise there own chicks so are hiding a nest or two. Chick starter will not do it as it is high protien. That would increase production not lower it.

I have looked in the obvious places for hidden nests, and nothing so far. Everyone turns up at bedtime or when I call them for treats. A couple looked like they were beginning to go broody for a few days, but I kept taking them out of the nest boxes and they snapped out of it. I guess an easter egg hunt is in order...

lol, I found mine....I had originally had a silver ameraucana go broody, and a cuckoo marans decided she wanted to do it too. Since the ameraucana chose the corner floor of the coop she "shared" eggs. Well, when they hatched they both took care of them but then the marans was hogging the babies so the silver girl started collecting eggs again. She was not happy but I booted her off the eggs and tossed them in the bator since she was sitting on them for a little over 24 hours(giving them away as EE's to a local person). I will have to go out every few hours now to make sure she isn't trying to hatch....considering giving her some of her own chicks but not sure if the chicks that are a few days old will go to her? they were from the eggs that got kicked out of the nest when they took the chicks out...